Mounting for conveyer-rollers.



K. KIEFER. MOUNTING FOR CONVEYER ROLLERSL APPLICATION FILED nc.a0. 1914.

1,175,641. Patented Mar. 14,1916.

2 SHEETSSHEET I.

l lfc'fnesaes [raven/0r K. KIEFER. MOUNTING FOR CONVEYER ROLLERS.

I APPLICATION FILED DEC-30.1914.

Patented Mar. 1 4, 1916 2 SHEETSSHEET 2- i 3/ ZWIIHU M 6a 20 45 Elf '17 1e &

l/i z'fn eases bearing block shown in Figs. 6 and 7; Fig. 10 is an end View of the same; Fig. 11 is a vertical longitudinal sectional detail of a.

azannxrnrnn, or crncninarr, onto.

MOUNTING FOB CONVEYER-ROLLEBS.

Original application filed November 6,

operating under the action of gravity; and

its object is to provide mountings or bearingsfor the rollers of such conveyers, of

simple and economical construction, which will at the same time operate with a mimmum of friction and require a minimum of lubrication and attention.

My invention consists in the parts and 1n the details of construction and arrangement of parts as will hereinafter be more fully described and claimed. a

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a plan view of part of a roller and part of the conveyer frame, showing my improvedbearing provided in connection therewith, the roller being represented as made of wood; Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section on the line ma2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a detail plan view of one of the bearing blocks; Fig. 4 is an end view of the same; Fig. 5 is aviewof part. of the side frame of the conveyer, showing the socket for the bearing block; Fig. 6 is a plan view similarto Fig. 1, but showing a modification of my invention, and the roller being represented as made of metal tubing; Fig. 7 is a vertical longitudinal section on the line .g of Fig. 6; Fig. 8 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 7, showing how a wooden roller is provided with the modified mounting on bearing; Fig. 9 is a detail plan view of'the modified modification ofthe same; and'Fig. 12 is a view of part of the side frame similar to Fig. 5, showing the socket for the modified bearing block.

The invention set forth herein, was originally shown, described and claimed in my co-pending application Serial No. 658,866,

filed November 6, 1911, of which this appli thecation is a division.

As shown in Figs. 1 to 5, inclusive, roller 1 has the spindle 2 fixed centrally in its end'part. The side rail 3, here shown as Specification of Letters ratent.

Patented Mar. 14, rate.

1911, Serial No. 658,866. Divided and this application filed. December 30, 1914. Serial No. 879,697.

composed of a steel'angle, has socketsfl in "its vertical leg near the up er edge thereof.

These sockets are simply holes which are clrcular except at-one slde, preferably the top, where a segmental area of the material of the rail is left, making'a flat side 5 to the socket. A bearing hub 6 fits intoeach socket and receives aspindle 2 of a roller, which splndles were above described. The bearing hub is cylindrical except at one side, from length, which has a segmental part removed,

- leaving this side 7 flat, and, where this flattened part terminates, forming a shoulder 8.

The bearing hub 6 is thus sllpped through the socket 4-in the rail from the inside of the rail until the shoulder 8 comes against the inner side of the rail, and the fiat side 7 of thefhub 6 will thus cooperate with the flat side 5 of the socket 4 to preventrotation of the hub in the socket; This hub hasa cylindrical bore 9 that receives a reduced part 10 of the spindle 2, which reduced part joins the main part-11 of the spindle 2 which fits in the roller 1 by a shoulder 12. This shoulder 12 will bear against the inner end of the bearing hub 6 and limit the end play of the roller. Preferably theparts are so adjusted that the shoulder 12 may move a slight distance away from the adjacent end of the bearing hub 6 as shown, so that the hub 6 may havean opening 13 through its flat side 7 into the bore 9 to admit lubricant to the bearing. 1

In the modification shown in Figs. 6 and 7, the roller 1 comprises a tube 14:, in the end of which a hub 15 is fixed. This hub has the spindle 2 fixed in it centrally. The side rail 3, here shown as composed of asteel angle, has sockets l. in its vertical leg, near the upper edge thereof. These sockets are simply square holes, with equal vertical and horizontal sides, parallel from one side of the rail through to the other; A bearing hub 6 fits into each socket and receives ra' spindle 2 of a roller, which spindles were. above described. The bearing hub 6 con- 3 roller has a slight end play. The bearing sists, inorder from one end to the other, in

athreadedpart '16; a flange 1 7 a part l8,

square, with its sides straight and equal eross-sectionally of the hub, but with sides 65-. its end inwardly for the greater part of its hub, and the bore 9 which receives the spindle 2*, extends from end to end of the hub, opening into this recessed part. The first described threaded part 16' receives the cap 20, which, by being screwed onto the hub, compresses grease into the recess and into the bore 9*, to lubricate the bearing. The flange 17 is to act as a curb against the side of the frame when the square part 18 is in the socket 4 of the frame. A nut 21 is screwed onto the second described threaded part, to act as a curb on the other side of the frame. The square part 18 is somewhat greater in extent, lengthwise of the hub, than the thickness of the rail of the frame, so that the curbs 17 and 21 cannot bind the hub in the frame, but will allow some lateral motion therein. The convexity of the square part 18' is such that opposite sides conform to concentric arcs struck from the center of the hub. Thus, the lateral motion may manifest itself in a slight swiveling of the hub in the frame. The swivelingmovement thus allowed, renders the hubs self-adjusting to the spindles, permitting the necessary even distribution of pressure throughout the long and narrow bearing, under any variations, either due to inaccuracy of construction, or to slight deflection of the'spindles, even under the light load on each individual roller. The bearing hubs 6 meet the hubs 15 of the rollers, limiting the end play.

Where it is desired to use a wooden roller,

as the roller 1", shown in Fig. 8, it may have a hub 22, of metal, inserted into its end, which receives the spindle 2 as above described in connection with the tubular roller.

The modified bearinghub 6 illustrated in Fig. 11 has the vertical threaded part 23, corresponding to the part. 16 of the above described hub, and this part is recessed and has a short vertical passage 24, down to the bore 9 of the hub. Thus, gravity may assist in forcing the lubricant into the journal.

A bearing of the above described principle of construction is peculiarly adapted to conveyer rollers, avoiding the friction of the commonly designed bearings on account of the extremely low surface speed ofthe thin spindle, which, however, has the full required area, due to its length. The length of these spindles should be considerably greater than the diameter of the-s indles, and the thickness of the spindles 0 course should be adapted to the particular requirements of the'conveyer. Light loads which requiraa more sensitive conveyer apparatus permit of using very thin spindles; for

heagier loads, larger size spindles are to be use a In. either example as shown in Figs. 1 to 5, inclusive, or in Figs. 6 to 12, inclusive, considerable swiveling movement is allowed as alluded to above. In the first example, this is rendered possible by fittingthe bear- 'ters Patent is:

1. In aconveyer, a roller, a spindle therefor, a side frame made of comparatively thin and fiat metal having an opening therein, and a journal bearing for thespindle supported in saidopening, the journal bearing hub-6 somewhat loosely inthe socket 4. i

i'ng being allowed to swivel in the opening but prevented from rotating therein.

2. In a conveyer, a roller, a spindle there-- for, a side frame with an angular socket through it having sides substantially straight and parallel fromend to end through said frame, and an angular bearing hub fitting in said socket with sides and angles substantially conforming to the sides and angles of said socket from angle to the socket, said bearing hub receiving said spindle and forming a bearing for said spindle prevented from turning around the spinhub fitting in said socket with sides and.

angle, but convex from end to end through i angles substantially conforming to the sides a and angles of said socket from angle to angle, but convex from end to end through the socket, said bearing hub receiving said spindle and forming a bearing for said spindle prevented from turning around the spindle, but swiveling through an angle with the axis of the spindle, and a curb on said hub slightly spaced away fromone side of said frame to prevent displacement of the hub from the socket but to allow said swivcling of the hub therein.

- 4'. In a conveyer, aroller, a spindle therefor, a side frame with an angular socket through it having sides substantially straight and parallel from end to end through said frame, and an angular bearing hub fitting in said socket with sides and angles substantially conforming to the sides .and angles of said socket from angle toangle, but convex from end to end through the socket, said bearing hub receiving said ford the required bearing area, the swiveling of said bearing in said side frame distributing the pressure throughout the hearing area of said spindle, for the purposes described.

5. In a conveyer, a roller, a spindle therefor, a side frame With a rectangular socket extending through it with its sides substantially straight and parallel through the frame, a bearing hub of rectangular cross section fitting in the socket With its sides substantially conforming to the sides of the socket from angle to angle around the hearing hub, but with the sides convex from end v to end through the socket, said bearing hub receiving said spindle, and forming a hearing therefor prevented from turning around the spindle, but swiveling through an angle With the axis of the spindle.

6. In a conveyer, a roller, a spindle for said roller, and a journal for said spindle,

the diameter of said spindle and its journal being minimized to allow a low surface speed, and the length of said journal being increased to afford the required bearing area, and a swivel bearing hub carrying said journal and distributing the pressure in said journal, for the purposes described.

7. In a conveyer, a roller, a spindle therefor, side frames of relatively thin cross section having holes spaced therein for the reception of the bearing, a bearing loosely fitting in these holes, consisting of a tube With a flat part thereon.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of tWo subscribing Witnesses.

KARL KIEFER.

Witnesses E. E. FINCH, M. A. HARRINGTON. 

